Guide posts are often used on seabed frames. Normally, four 203 mm (8") posts are inserted in the frame at certain intervals. From the top of the posts a wire is run to the surface. The wires are kept tensioned. By means of the wires equipment can be lowered to the seabed frames and guide the equipment in position within given tolerances. The posts can be permanent or replaceable. There are two reasons for choosing a removable guide post. One reason is the costs in connection with making all the posts which are needed permanently down on the frame. The second reason is that they may block access for other equipment. The posts can be several meters long, for example, 3 to 4 meters. By making them replaceable, a much smaller number of posts is needed.
Prior art replaceable guide posts have relatively complicated and costly mechanisms.
A standard retrievable guide post has lockpins that are activated via a permanently installed wire within the post.
The patent GB A 2,225,798 discloses a replaceable guide post 17 which is lowered into a funnel 10 and temporarily locked by a lockpin 34. By lifting the guide post 17 upwards the sleeve 37 and the member 18 are slid upwards and the locking ring 40 and the lockpin 43 are moved upwards and lock the guide post 17 to the funnel 10.
The patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,035 discloses replaceable guide post A which is locked into the funnel 400 by means of a snap ring 120.
The object of this invention is to provide an anchoring mechanism of a simpler construction and thus at considerably lower manufacturing costs.